A variety of stand-alone roasting ovens have been developed to roast different food products (e.g., turkey, chicken, and the like) without the use of a conventional kitchen oven. These stand-alone roasting ovens are also referred to as “roaster ovens” or “roasters.”
Roaster ovens offer a variety of conveniences including being an energy-efficient alternative to turning on the full-size oven. Roaster ovens also provide an extra cooking space during the holidays. Also, roaster ovens are easier to clean because the roaster pan is dishwasher safe. The roaster oven simplifies gravy preparation because the gravy may be easily simmered in a removable pan, sitting atop a heated roaster oven pan. Roaster ovens may also be used for baking, cooking and serving. Roaster ovens also include a secure-fitting lid that helps trap in heat and moisture. When the lid is removed, the roaster provides convenient access to stir or transfer food to an individual bowl or plate. Generally, the roaster oven also includes a removable rack to easily transport large roasts or turkeys to a serving platter.
Typical roasters include a wrap-around type heating element for applying heat to the sides of the cooking vessel or, alternatively, a bottom heating element arranged in functional relation to the bottom of the cooking well for supplying heat for cooking. Such cooking wells are often constructed of aluminum, stainless steel or enameled steel for reasons of durability and sanitation. However, it is known that both stainless steel and enameled steel have relatively low coefficients of heat conductivity as compared with other metals. This presents a particular problem for cooking vessels of large capacity (i.e. up to 26 quarts). Applying heat only to the bottom or sides of such a large capacity cooking vessel, especially when constructed of stainless steel or enameled steel, may result in the upper portion of the cooking vessel being insufficiently heated. Thus, the food in the upper portion of the cooking vessel may be insufficiently cooked for serving purposes due to the loss of heat in combination with the low rate of heat conductivity and the slow rate at which heat is supplied to the upper portion of the cooking vessel. Often such a cooking vessel lacks top-browning (i.e. to scorch lightly) capability, which is desirable when cooking chicken, turkey or other foodstuffs.
Traditional roasters are unable to effectively brown the top of large birds such as an illustrative turkey, which results in a “white spot” on the top of the large bird. To effectively remove the white spot, the illustrative turkey is removed from the roaster oven and put into a regular over for roasting. This two-step process creates additional work and clean-up and the extra step of cooking in a traditional oven causes the illustrative turkey to lose its moisture and tenderness. Basically, a properly browned turkey that is exposed to the two-step process of using a roasting oven and then a kitchen oven is dry and unappetizing. Alternatively, top heater elements have been implemented in certain roaster ovens as a cure for “white spots,” but these create a broiling effect similar to two-step roasting with a conventional oven that dries the turkey undesirably.
Thus, a roasting oven capable of easily and uniformly roasting and browning a top surface of a particular food product is desirable.